It’s home tonight against NIU, a beatable team

This will be an abrieviated preview. I’m teaching a couple classes for the first time in a few years, and I’m swamped. I’ll try to add a little more during the day.

The Flashes host Northern Illinois at 7 p.m. tonight at the MACC.

NIU is 1-6 in the conference, the second worst mark in the league (to Kent State). Last year the Flashes beat NIU 54-52 in Kent on a last-second shot but Melanie Stubbs; it was one of three MAC wins and five wins overall for KSU.

Overall NIU is 8-10. The Huskies beat Akron 65-58 at Akron to open the MAC season but have since lost six straight, including an overtime defeat at home against Eastern Michigan.

Kent State has lost its first seven conference games and 10 straight overall. The Flashes are 3-14 on the season.

NIU averages 65.2 points per game, slightly more than Kent State and is third in the conference in rebounding margin and blocked shots. The Huskies are not a big three-point shooting team, a relief after the Flashes gave up a total of 32 three-pointers in losses last week to Ohio and Bowling Green.

NIU is led by Ally Lehman, who is averaging 12.2 points and 11.3 rebounds a game.